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Published Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Six months of pre-trial jail for a crew
suspected of drug trafficking
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A judge of the Criminal Court ordered six months of pre-trial prison against four men, all crew members of a fishing boat, as suspects of drug trafficking, according to the Osa Prosecutor's Office in Puntarenas Province.
The men surnamed Olaves-Angulo, of Colombian nationality, along with three Costa Ricans surnamed Badilla-Martínez, Chaves-Solano, and López Porras, were arrested last Friday.
According to the police report, the case began when the coast guard, during a routine patrol, detected a boat that was crossing near the coast of Osa Peninsula, in the southern zone of the Pacific Coast.
When the crew members saw the police they tried to flee by running the boat aground near to Sierpe Wetlands, the police said.
The men temporarily escaped by entering the wooded areas. That didn’t stop the Air Surveillance Service from pursuing them by air, until the Coast Guard officers and the officers from the Border Police managed to arrest them.
On a more detailed inspection of the boat, police found several bags containing large quantities of drugs. So the men, the boat and the drugs were transported to the National Coast Guard Service Station located in Quepos Beach.
After carrying out a more detailed probe of the cargo, officials from the Drug Control Police confirmed that there were 943 packages of marijuana weighing approximately one kilo each, plus three packages of cocaine weighing one kilo each, and 20 packages of marijuana weighing approximately 300 grams each.
In addition to the drugs, the boat, colones and Colombian pesos, electronic equipment, three large containers with gasoline were seized as part of the evidence in the case against those detained on suspicion of drug trafficking.
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What should the authorities do to stop drug trafficking in Costa Rica? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
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